Courses

Reading and composition in connection with eastern and western representations of India, and other Asian cultures, in great works of modern literature. Satisfies the second half of the reading and composition requirement.

Reading and composition in connection with eastern and western representations of India, and other Asian cultures, in great works of modern literature. Satisfies the second half of the reading and composition requirement.

Reading and composition in connection with eastern and western representations of India, and other Asian cultures, in great works of modern literature. Satisfies the second half of the reading and composition requirement.

Reading and composition in connection with eastern and western representations of India, and other Asian cultures, in great works of modern literature. Satisfies the second half of the reading and composition requirement.

Required Textbooks:

Shaiva Devotional Songs of Kashmir by Constantina Rhodes, State University of New York Press, ISBN: 0887064930

Songs of the Saints of India by John Stratton Hawley and Mark Juergensmeyer, Oxford University Press, ISBN: 0195694201

Fulfills the L&S breadth requirements in Historical Studies and Social and Behavioral Sciences.

This is an introductory level course on the history of Muslim communities and institutions in South Asia. Its aim is to introduce students to the broad historical currents of the expansion of Islam in the Indian subcontinent, the nature of pre-modern Muslim political authority, the interaction between religious communities, Islamic aesthetics and contributions to material culture, the varied engagements and reactions of Muslims to colonial rule, and the contemporary concerns of South Asia’s Muslims. This course assumes no prior knowledge of South Asian or Islamic history.

In Nepal alone Indian Mahāyāna Buddhism survives in its original
South Asian setting with Sanskrit as its sacred language. In addition to
preserving and transmitting the Indian Mahāyāna literary heritage,
Nepal has also produced its own Buddhist Sanskrit literature. The focus
has been on narrative works, and among these the Svayambhūpurāna is the
most important. It dates to the late 14th or early 15th century and can
be viewed as a response to the loss of the Buddhist heartland in India
proper since the 13th century.

The class introduces to the Svayambhūpurāna and its different
versions, and will also consider the larger literary, religious and
historical contexts in which this work was initially composed and then
further developed. While we have a good unpublished edition of the
oldest and shortest version (of which two Tibetan translations are
extant), the editions of the middle length version and the principal
long version are unsatisfactory and will require that we work with
manuscripts. However, rather than getting absorbed by philological
details, the plan is to cover good ground, and to read through some of
the main narratives. Among them will be the myth of the spontaneous
manifestation (svayam-bhū) of the luminous crystalline dhamadhātu that
features in the title of this textual tradition, and, related to this,
the mythological account of the construction of the Svayambhū stupa, the
principal Buddhist shrine of Nepal, which—according to this account—
was built over the dharmadhātu so as to to encase it. We will relate
this mythological account to the historical records of medieval
renovations of the Svayambhū stūpa, and consider, more generally, how
the māhātmya-like Svayambhūpurāṇa reflects the Buddhist landscape and
ritual practices current at the time of its composition in Nepal, and
how it treats these themes—even while couching them in etiological
terms—as shaping the present in which its audience lives.

Additional materials will include detailed paintings of the
Svayambhūpurāṇa—mostly scrolls, but also the murals in the Śāntipur
shrine up at the site of Svayambhū—which, depict the narrative, scene by
scene, arranged in registers, and accompanied by captions.

This course explores the contours of regal governance in premodern India that held sway from its crystallization under the Gupta Empire (early 4th c. CE) until the rise of the Delhi Sultanate (13th c.). Through an exploration of courtly literature, epigraphic testimony, political and aesthetic treatises, and discussions of art and architecture, we will examine the constitutive ideals of lordship and discuss the ways in which political agents sought to effect their will on the dynamic terrain of premodern India.

In recent years, the discourse and law of “human rights” has reshaped struggles for social justice and individual freedom. Nearly all nations, including all Southeast Asian ones, have passed laws to comply with international “human rights” commitments. At the same time, Southeast Asian nations continue to cite national security, respect for authority, public safety and public decency (often within some overarching assertion of “Asian” values) to justify regulating and limiting such rights. Upon this complex legal and cultural battleground, Southeast Asian artists assert and test their “rights” to artistic expression and freedom from censorship.

This course explores the struggle for “expressive rights” within Southeast Asian performance and film practices. We will address the mechanisms (legal and extra-legal) used to regulate and censor film and live performance, and consider whether “human rights” can be effective in challenging such mechanisms. We will look at banned performance texts and videos of performances and films, and discuss strategies employed by artists and arts institutions to avoid censorship or to self-censor.

Case studies will be drawn from throughout the region, including Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, Myanmar, and Singapore.

This graduate seminar is designed to introduce students to the Mughal Empire (c. 1500-1750). As well as interrogating the larger question of early-modernity and the empire's place in a global context, we will also -- among others -- explore debates focused on state-formation, Islam, elite women, male comportment, Persian and other languages, relations with the Ottomans and the Safavids, the imperial city, and decline/decentralization.

Buddhism has inspired a wide spectrum of religious, textual, and political movements in modern Southeast Asia and Sri Lanka, ranging from millenarian movements and scriptural reform projects to the secular nationalism of Young Men’s Buddhist Associations. This interdisciplinary course explores the individuals, beliefs, influences, practices, and institutional developments that shaped, led and framed such movements in 19th and 20th century Southeast Asia and Sri Lanka with particular emphasis on the contested terrains of text, monument, and material culture. We will examine the tensions between purist prescriptions, colonial categorizations, European heritage conventions and popular practice as played out in Laos, Burma, Siam/Thailand and Cambodia. We will examine diverse articulations of sacred space; tensions between modernization projects to centralize and nationalize Buddhist learning and forest-based dhutanga practices involving cross-boundary mobility, and the transnational traction between M. K. Gandhi and Buddhist resistance movements in Southeast Asia. Our focus areas are Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

Required Textbooks:

Locations of Buddhism: Colonialism and Modernity in Sri Lanka by Anne Blackburn

The Birth of Insight by Erik Braun

Cambodge: The Cultivations of a Nation, 1860-1945 by Penny Edwards

How to Behave: Buddhism and Modernity in Colonial Cambodia by John Holt

Curators of the Buddha: The Study of Buddhism under Colonialism by Donald S. Lopez

The Lovelorn Ghost and the Magic Monk: Practicing Buddhism in Modern Thailand by Justin McDaniel

This course introduces the worlds of Cambodia, Vietnam, Burma, and Thailand through modern literature, including epic verse, short story, novel and contemporary poetry. Issues we will explore include transmission, circulation and censorship, but our principle concern is with voice. The twentieth century dramatically expanded not only the media in which stories were told, but the repertoire of voices and forms through which literature was passed down. Through a close reading of the class texts, we will examine why some stories travel and gain traction in ways that ensure their longevity. The course embraces the classical works Khun Chang Khun Phaen (Thailand, excerpts) and Tum Teav (Cambodia) as well as the modern novels Dumb Luck (Vietnam) and Not Out Of Hate (Burma). Throughout the course, we will explore how cultures, stories and language echo and resonate across time even as regimes, genres and voices change.

Students will learn fluency in speaking Bengali (Bangla), will be familiar with Bengali literature by reading and comprehending articles in both prose and poetry, understand grammar and extend their knowledge of Bengali language by learning phrases, idioms, vocabulary, and nuances of the language to appreciate it, expand their knowledge of Bengali culture, and engage in creative writing in Bengali. Students will also be able to watch and understand short videos, to discuss and form critical opinions of them, based on their learning.

This course is continuation of the fall 2014 semester Hindi/Urdu 1A course and emphasizes the development of full range of Hindi language skills: reading, listening comprehension, use of grammatical structures, oral and written communication through a variety of learning themes.

This course strictly enforces a fall semester Hindi/Urdu 1A prerequisite, or admission with the permission of the instructor. Students are expected to come to this semester already knowing the basic Hindi conversation along with reading, and writing skills using Devanagari script. Admission priority will be given to the students who have completed Hindi/Urdu 1A course in fall 2014, followed by the students who have taken the Hindi/Urdu 1A in fall 2013 or before. Other students will not be allowed.

This course is continuation of the fall 2014 semester Hindi/Urdu 1A course and emphasizes the development of full range of Hindi language skills: reading, listening comprehension, use of grammatical structures, oral and written communication through a variety of learning themes.

This course strictly enforces a fall semester Hindi/Urdu 1A prerequisite, or admission with the permission of the instructor. Students are expected to come to this semester already knowing the basic Hindi conversation along with reading, and writing skills using Devanagari script. Admission priority will be given to the students who have completed Hindi/Urdu 1A course in fall 2014, followed by the students who have taken the Hindi/Urdu 1A in fall 2013 or before. Other students will not be allowed.

Prerequisites: Hindi 101A or consent of the instructor. It is a continuation of Hindi 101A, with the goals of conversational fluency and advanced reading and writing competence. Students will be exposed to a variety of contemporary literary genres. Weekly readings and class discussions will be on short stories, poems, and dramatic sketches from representative authors. In 101B students will also work on films based on well-known literary texts, such as those of Premchand. These readings and films focus on various social, cultural, political, and historical aspects of Indian society. Students are encouraged to explore these issues in their written assignments as well as in their class discussions. Furthermore, students are expected to investigate a topic in depth and write a research paper in Hindi. The class will be conducted entirely in Hindi and students will acquire language skills sufficient to approach literary texts on their own.

This 2nd semester Urdu course is intended for students who have completed 1st semester or beginner’s level Urdu. All four skills, speaking, listening, reading and writing will be taught.

Grammar constructions and sentence structure will be presented through models/example, necessary explanation will also be done. Practice of these things will be done through various drills and class activities.

Based on teacher’s assessment, teacher may move a student to a different level of course/instruction more commensurate with student’s proficiency level.

In this 4th semester level course, all four skills, speaking, listening, reading and writing will be taught. Oral skills and reading comprehension will be main focus of the course and there will be equal emphasis on these skills. Writing will also be given due importance.

Grammar constructions and sentence structure will be presented through models/example, necessary explanation will also be done. Practice of these things will be done through various drills and class activities.

In this 6thh semester level course, all four skills, speaking, listening, reading and writing will be taught. Oral skills and reading comprehension will be main focus of the course and there will be equal emphasis on these skills. Writing will also be given due importance.

Grammar constructions and sentence structure will be presented through models/example, necessary explanation will also be done. Practice of these things will be done through various drills and class activities.

This course is an advanced Indonesian language course that will focus on reading Indonesian-language scholarship and theoretical texts. Indonesian-language scholarship needs to be read and analyzed alongside English-language work. We can not focus on Indonesian literature and primary source material and ignore Indonesian-language academic work. The course is open to graduate students with permission of the instructor. We will meet at the beginning of the semester to determine a syllabus and to set a time for regular meetings. Please e-mail Prof. Hadler to express interest and get permission to enroll.

This introductory level course focuses on progressive acquisition of language skills to communicate effectively in both written and spoken Tamil. It facilitates development of Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing competence along with basic grammar.

Excerpts from contemporary short stories, novels, prose and other forms of Tamil literature authored by popular Tamil writers will be used as reading material. Films, songs and discourses will be used as supplementary material for discussions.

This introductory level course focuses on progressive acquisition of language skills to communicate effectively in Telugu. It facilitates development of Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing competence along with basic grammar.

This is a foundational course for learners of Vietnamese from the beginning level, aiming to build and develop proficiency in all four language skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing) with a balanced approach between conversational and grammatical instruction. Alongside with new vocabulary and grammatical structures, instructions on cultural awareness will also be given to help students make informed and nuanced choice of words and patterns. Multi-media and web-based contents facilitate students to self pace their out-of-class practices and drills to achieve the learning goals in the desirable period of time.

Prerequisites: 1A-1B, or consent of instructor; 100A or consent of instructor is a prerequisite for 100B.

A second-year course in Vietnamese vocabulary and syntax with intensive drills on short colloquial expressions and auditory recognition of speech patterns. First semester course stresses phraseology, sentence building, rules of composition and development of students' communicative skills. By the end of the second semester students will learn to speak and write simple compositions and will have a cursory introduction to Vietnamese literature and sample readings from contemporary Vietnamese writers.

This course provides an introduction to Vietnamese literature and culture through extensive reading of authentic Vietnamese texts. Reading assignments will be determined according to a general theme selected for each semester, from a broad range of sources including novels, short stories, poetry, journalism articles and essays covering the classical, colonial, and contemporary eras. Examples of the selected theme are: the nature of the Sino-Vietnamese classical tradition, the cultural legacies of French colonialism, the emergence of a distinctive Vietnamese modernity, historical legacy of the Vietnam War, gender issues in Vietnamese literature, the Doi moi era, Vietnamese memoirs, etc. Regular attendance and participation in classroom activities is mandatory and no English will be spoken in class.

Continuing on from the fundamental knowledge of syllable construction learned in Thai 1A, this course is designed to rapidly elevate student's literacy, with the goal of completely abandoning transcription by mid-semester. By the end of the course, students should be reading and writing short descriptive and creative essays, equivalent to 2nd grade students in Thai school. Students continue to learn new vocabulary, grammar and practical thematic conversation with the opportunity to practice with native speakers. Students will also be introduced to Thai customs, culture and value, through a variety of media and cultural activities. Thai is used as the language of instruction up to 20% of the time.

Prerequisite: Thai 1A, (Beginning Introductory Thai) or equivalent, by consent of instructor. Ability to speak some Thai and carry out basic conversation about oneself, family, food, and numbers. Knowledge of the alphabet, and ability to read and write simple words at rudimentary level.

Intermediate Thai 100B is an upper intermediate level course, a continuation of Intermediate Thai 100A. Students will learn to read longer and more abstract writing, advertisements from newspapers, and articles from magazines and webpage. The class will cover expressions, figures of speech, higher level grammar, and hierarchical pronouns. Writing will move from descriptive to expository. To increase verbal skills and cultural education, students will watch karaoke, TV advertisements, and films. Students will also have regular intensive conversation practice and in-class presentation. The language of instruction will be in Thai approximately 50% to 70% of the time. By the end of the semester, the average student should have acquired a level of literacy equivalent to 5th to 6th grade in Thai schools.

Prerequisite: Thai 100B (Lower Intermediate Thai) or equivalent, by consent of instructor. Ability to read descriptive articles, and write short composition equivalent to 3rd - 4th grade students in Thai school. Capable of carrying informal conversation on a general subject with medium fluency.

This course is designed to enhance the students’ competence in reading and writing Thai. The students will be reading texts from The Thai Cultural Reader, newspapers, news from internet, selected short stories. The students will improve listening skill from listening to audio materials The students will discuss both orally and writing in great length on selected topics. the language of instruction is 100% in Thai.